Trump admin empowers private US firms to go after transnational cybercriminals
Brief
The National Coordination Center will create a program allowing authorized U. S. companies to conduct cyber operations against transnational criminal organizations at the direction of the federal government, according to a memorandum signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Program executive directors from the departments of Homeland Security and Justice will have the authority to greenlight companies’ cyber operations unless the authorization would result in a loss of life, serious injury or “rise to the level of use of forced or armed attack under international law.”
The federal government would vet and conduct oversight of authorized companies, which would need to enter into contractual agreements with either DHS or Justice.